What saddens me is what I experience when working with my smaller clients. They have some clients with small and even tiny fleets (usually under 50 trucks and some very tiny – <10 trucks). Many are localized and/or generally operate a vehicle that is not subject to roadside inspections. These fleets have little to no interaction with DOT inspectors. As such, they rarely have enough inspections to rank in any category. Yet we see these New Entry companies being shut down before they even get off the ground. Why? Because they had 2 inspections and one was “bad” thus placing them in a percentile above the 35% limit for OOS. This triggers an audit and/or it is New Entry review time and they fail due to their scores or rather lack of scores and evidence that are compliant.

I recall when the New Entry audit was a training process instead of a punitive process. Now with auto fail; the doors are closed for 60 days. A small company like this has no course of recoupment. In 60 days, their accounts will be gone to their competitors. Yes, they need to know how to comply with DOT regulations. Totally in agreement here. Either make these companies pass a test, like our Canadian neighbors do, prior to obtaining their DOT number or return to the training process. Up the audit to 6 months instead of 18 months but don’t close their doors unless they are egregious violators. We need to give small business a chance. I realize we also need to protect highway safety but we need to score a balance. We cannot allow one bad inspection from an untrained, non typical CMV driver to cost a business owner their livelihood.

I have worked with 3 clients in the past 2 months that fall into this category. Ironically, 2 of them, in opposite parts of the country, are being shut down for the same violation. They failed to connect a breakaway cable or it had come loose during transit. These are pickup truck operators, not CMV drivers for the norm. They come under scrutiny when they attach to a trailer, on rare occasions. As such a DOT number is required. Often, transport driving is the last of their qualifications. These are generally service professionals (e.g. technicians) that drive this vehicle as a means of transport to their job site. These are not commercial drivers per se. They are everyday folks that happen to be in a vehicle that occasionally become classified as a CMV due to it being used while they are generating revenue performing their skilled tasks (i.e. other than truck driving).

We all know that DOT regulations are geared towards the OTR company and the CDL driving professional. All other drivers try to fit into these rules and often with much difficulty. Yes, there are exemptions but they do not always fit either. It is this one size fits all mentality that causes non traditional use of CMVs such issues. It may also be these uses that skew the numbers. Perhaps they need a category all their own with rule sets that better apply to their application. This would allow peer group comparison against true peers and not just via size of fleet. I realize that mileage weighs into the algorithm but these non-traditional fleet (i.e. non trucking companies) need their own group(s). It would benefit fleets running locally or regionally to be thus categorized as well. Bottom-line, we need to move from this one size fits all mentality into real world scenarios. This is especially true when a person’s entire business is at risk.

I look forward to seeing the outcome of this new rating proposal. Perhaps it will address some of these issues. Perhaps it will not. We need more “real people” involved in these processes and not just bureaucrats or those industry representatives that have risen so far from their humble beginnings as to forget what it takes to be a small business start up. As your own stats read the other week; most companies with DOT numbers are not the trucking giants but the small business person. Is it not time we have rules and regulations that can relate to both distinct groups?

Thu Mar 5, 2009 10:59 am (PST)

There has been another round of fraudulent letters issued to U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) contractors and potential contractors purporting to be issued by DOT. These fraudulent letters request that current or potential contractors register by submitting their company’s financial information on a release form entitled, “Authorization to release financial information”. They are dated January 27, 2009, and signed by “John Steinberg.”

Please be aware that DOT does not require any financial information to be submitted in order to be eligible for procurement.

In addition to this most recent example, the following is a list of fraudulent letters to date which have been faxed out to current or potential contractors:

December 29, 2005, signed by “Frank M. Orell”
February 8, 2006, signed by “Randy Cohen”
April 27, 2006, signed by “Dan Jacobs”
July 28, 2006, signed by “Dan Jacobs”
November 8, 2006, signed by “Lisa Johnson”
February 26, 2007, signed by “Lisa Johnson”
March 26, 2007, signed by “Jason Scarlett”
May 10, 2007, signed by “Jason Scarlett”
July 11, 12, and 20, 2007, signed by “George Mason”
August 27 and 28, 2007, signed by “Julie P. Wenzel”
September 10, 2007, signed by “Julie P. Wenzel”
October 12, 2007, signed by “Julie P. Wenzel”
October 21, 2007, signed by “Julie P. Wenzel”
January 28, 2008, signed by “Julie P. Weynel”
February 7, March 3, March 31, 2008, signed by “Bradley K. Wash”
April 1, 2008, signed by “Bradley K. Wash”
April 28, 2008, signed by “Bradley K. Wash”
June 3, 2008, signed by “Robert Dal”
June 4, 2008, signed by “James Buchanan”
September 5, 2008, signed by “David Jacobson”
October 20, 2008, signed by “Jennifer Donaldson”
December 8, 2008, signed by “Jennifer Stewart”
December 19, 2008, signed by “Jeffrey Steinberg”
All letters were signed as the Senior Procurement Officer.

The USDOT has issued the following warning: “Please DO NOT complete the release form which is attached to the letter and DO NOT release any information to the facsimile number cited in the letter.”

To view an example of the latest letters being sent out to contracting personnel, visit: www.dot.gov/ost/m60/jsteinberg_012709.pdf. The point of contact concerning these fraudulent letters is the Department of Transportation Office of the Inspector General Hotline at
(800) 424-9071.

Thursday, Feb. 26, 2009 – With a new administration and a new Congress in place, a recent vote by the House of Representatives may mean the end for the embattled cross-border trucking program with Mexico isn’t too far off. more >>

As if truckers and highway users aren’t paying enough in taxes, fees and tolls to run on America’s highways, a federal commission is recommending that Congress adopt a sweeping array of new and higher user fees. Critics, including OOIDA, say the report does not address the way transportation money is spent nor does it call for reform. more >>

The Colorado House has narrowly approved a bill that includes the option of charging tolls to access existing free routes. By a margin of 34-31, House lawmakers voted to advance the bill, which is intended to raise at least $250 million a year to fix the state’s crumbling roads and bridges. more >>

Two Russian immigrants from Southern California have pleaded guilty to defrauding motor carriers out of at least $2.4 million through a double-brokering load scheme using the FMCSA’s SAFER Web site. more >>

It seems that anyone who even occasionally visits a major port these days is required to possess a TWIC card. What about colonial-era clothing clad seasonal canal-boat workers, you say? Land Line’s Charlie Morasch dives into the latest mainstream news story about the Transportation Worker Identification Credential. more >>

Thank you all for your understanding during these last few months as we limped through our difficulties. Hopefully that is all now behind us with the introduction of our new IT Staff and IT Department. This new department brings additional service offerings in the IT Field ranging from Database management, Website Development and Marketing, PC Support, Software Training including the new MS Office, help desk services, spreadsheet design, data capture systems, BETA Testing and more. Visit our new web section – IT SERVICES (http://thedotdoctor.com/it_services).

Remember, we are still expanding and hiring. We openings for sales people (F/T and P/T), receptionist(s) and field consultants skilled in DOT Compliance / Matters and IT technicians. Send your resumes to our HR department at resumes@thedotdoctor.com.

Remember we also have the new E-mall coming in April. Some stores are already in place. Come and check out our latest shops! (http://thedotdoctor.com/e_mall)We are open 24 hours a day for your shopping convenience. No parking hassles! Shop in your PJs. We are also taking applications and deposit for store fronts in our new E-mall. Stop by and fill one out today. Space is limited; so don’t delay. Pre-Grand Opening rates can’t be beat!!!

Special sales offerings, FREE magazine offerings, movies on demand, DISH TV specials, travel saving specials and more are available at our E-mall as well as on the pages throughout our site. Check out our custom Amazon Store (http://astore.amazon.com/thdodo03-20) for a-mazing savings on a wide variety of products. Look for the sidebar ads on each page that relate to the subject matter in which you are viewing for special custom savings.

Be sure to look for The DOT Doctor on networking sites like: Facebook, MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/andrealsitler), You Tube, Twitter, Flickr, Word Blog, Linked In and more. Drop by and send us a “friend” request. We are happy to add you to our network.

Catch the DOT Doctor online for a FREE Chat session. Let the DOT Doctor answer your pressing questions via our chat link at the bottom of our Blog page and many other pages within our site. Be sure to join our DOT HELP GROUP via Yahoo Groups and/or DOT HELP on Linked IN. We look forward to seeing you there. Add your comments on our services provided on our Comment page. Our site is very interactive, as are our groups, and all work best when you interact. Make your posting today! Use our SHARE link on the top left of each page to post us to your favorite networking site and to share our content with your friends and co-workers. Be sure to subscribe to our RSS feed for instant updates. A quick click of your mouse and all of newsflash postings are at your fingertips. Be sure to check out our Logistics page (http://thedotdoctor.com/logistics), Safety Page (http://thedotdoctor.com/safety_newletter) and various other pages for automatic updated information from a variety of global services. Always be current by bookmarking and visiting The DOT Doctor’s Website often. We offer free safety videos on our Safety page (http://thedotdoctor.com/safety_plan); technical writing services (http://thedotdoctor.com/authorship), listing of DOT Fines (http://thedotdoctor.com/dot_compliance) and don’t forget about our all inclusive NEW BUSINESS SET UP Package. This package establishes a DOT Number for your new company, provides a written safety plan and includes a year of IFTA filing, UCR filing and log auditing services as well as list of other services. Visit: http://thedotdoctor.com/business_package for all the details. Just IFTA filing services (http://thedotdoctor.com/quarterly_ifta_filing) or Logbook auditing (http://thedotdoctor.com/quarterly_ifta_filing). We offer a combined Presidential Package for your filing and auditing needs (http://thedotdoctor.com/quarterly_ifta_filing#presplanprice). All this begins at just $10/truck.

These are just a small sampling of what we have to offer. If you haven’t been to our site or haven’t been there lately; come visit us at: http://thedotdoctor.com today.

Quite a lot actually. Especially if you don’t want one of these ugly tumours on your lungs. If you are a courier, trucker or delivery driver, read through the information below, and tell me what you think.

An up to date article in News Inferno was very interesting reading and informative…

Recent research suggests that lung cancer risks are higher among trucking industry workers because of diesel fume exposure. According to a new study published in the January issue of the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, workers in the trucking industry with an estimated 20 years on the job have an elevated risk of lung cancer with each increasing year of work due to their diesel fume exposure.

A lot of drivers are career drivers. They start in their 20s and still drive until they are retired, some often continuing part time during retirement. For many, driving for a living is something they really enjoy.

The article goes on to say –

Scientists have long known that diesel fumes might play a role in the development of lung cancer. According to a report on SFgate.com, diesel fumes consist of a toxic stew of about 400 chemicals, including benzene, formaldehyde, arsenic, cyanide and lead. Breathing large amounts of diesel fumes could cause respiratory diseases, and people with asthma, heart disease and emphysema can worsen if exposed to the exhaust. Long-term exposure leads to chronic obstructive lung disease as well as lung cancer.

So, it’s the long term exposure that does the damage. The longer you drive, the more chance you have of getting it. A case control study was done back in 1990 and the report says at the end..

Overall, our results suggest that diesel truck drivers have an excess risk of lung cancer compared to other teamsters in jobs outside the trucking industry. However, our findings were not uniformly consistent and our data have many limitations, the most important of which is the lack of data on exposure to diesel fumes.

In the US, the EPA have been making big inroads into reducing the danger. A tough task considering most areas of the US and the Uk are urbanised so diesel fumes are in every breath we take. As much as 25% of the breath we take in highly urbanised areas, more if there is a port nearby and the diesel fumes from the ships engines are in the air.

Early in 2001, the EPA issued landmark standards to clean up dirty diesel trucks and buses, comparable to the advent of the catalytic converter on cars several decades ago. When the standards take full effect in 2007, they are expected to reduce emissions from trucks and buses by more than 90 percent, the equivalent of taking 13 million of the nation’s 14 million trucks and buses off the roads.

The article from the ENS website goes on to outline the effort from the Bush administration. It also clearly higlights the failings in the US – emissions trading programs. So rather than clean up their act the worst polluters get to trade credits with cleaner, greener companies. I cannot see how this would work myself, and seems like a fraudulent way of dealing with the issue.

In addition to concluding that diesel fumes likely cause lung cancer, the EPA found that diesel exhaust triggers asthma and other respiratory effects, calling the fumes “a chronic respiratory hazard to humans.” Based on animal testing and studies of people in jobs with high exposures, the fumes were shown to be carcinogenic, or cancer causing.

The agency did not attempt to quantify the cancer risk from exposure to diesel emissions, though the report notes that the risk is likely to be higher for people who regularly work with or around diesel engines. But even everyday exposure to background levels of diesel fumes probably puts people at risk, the EPA said.

What can an employer do to limit diesel fumes for their drivers? Is there an efficient way of filtering the exhaust fumes so that the carcinogens are contained?

My thoughts on this are two fold, is this coming to light now to try and encourage people to buy environmentally vehicles? Is it diesel that is doing the evil deed? Why isn’t it coal fires, petrol or another type of fuel? Or is it the sad fact that all of these contribute to it, and its our delivery drivers that are taking home the tumours.

It’s that wonderful time of the year when we all have the opportunity to purchase fresh, wonderful Girl Scout cookies. Not only are these a wonderful treat; they help the girls in many ways. Brownie Troop #9376 are using their profits to attend a special Space Center Houston Camp.

Camping is not the only benefit for the girls when you purchase theses delicious cookies. The girls learn leadership skills, marketing skills, sales, entrepreneurial skills, budget management and most importantly they build self confidence. Girls in Scouting learn to stand tall and proud. They know they are independent and believe in themselves. This inspires them to work for their goals, attend Ivy League Colleges, participate in school activities and achieve top grades. Girl Scouts stand in the shadows of no one and learn how to be self sufficient. These are life skills that all girls should know and thanks to GS; learn is fun and begins in kindergarten.

Be a part of girl’s life and future today! Buy a box of these delicious cookies and make a difference today.

Stay current with what is happening in the transportation industry. Discuss the effects new regulations have on the drivers and the industry. What is the Clean Air Act in CA doing to the O/Os? Find out all this and more by subscribing to the RSS feed for the DOT Doctor Speaks. Available at: http://thedotdoctor.com/the_dot_doctor_speaks

Greetings! The DOT Doctor offers a myriad of services to the Transportation Industry. Our main goal is to help carriers avoid DOT fines. This is accomplished in a wide variety of ways from training to bookkeeping/clerical services to full Safety Management Programs. Examples of our top service offerings: Mock DOT Audit $999 FMCSA Management and BASICs Trai […]